We’ve all fallen victim to the age-old trick of wearing a hat when we’re too lazy to do anything with our hair and want to look more sophisticate than sleepwalker. If you’re like me, you also have a go-to ‘do that you repeat far too often; mine is a ponytail. Whether I wear it high, low, or on the side, I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m stuck in a rut. For a quick hair remedy, I turned to hair pros Luca Blandi of the Oscar Blandi Salon and Matt Fugate of the Sally Hershberger Salon in NYC, stat. My mission: to find three weather-proof and hat head-proof styles I could replicate at home without the hassle. Check them out below:

THE TOP KNOT

Add height and streamline your look so you don’t add width to the bulky layers already on your body.

Inspiration: Elizabeth Olsen

Get the look: Flip your head over and gather all of your hair in one hand into a high ponytail. Secure with an elastic band for a more sculpted look, twist your ponytail into a knot, and tie it up on top of your head. Tame flyaways and frizz with hairspray.

My personal favorite, this style is the answer to all ponytail prayers.

Inspiration: Amanda Seyfried

Get the look: Prep hair by working your favorite volumizing product through strands and blow dry upside-down. Once hair is dry, gather hair on the same side as your part, then quickly rope your tresses into a braid without looking in a mirror. "Doing it by feel will give it a more natural look. It's ok if some pieces fall out," says Matt Fugate. “This is a great thing to do with wet hair when you're in a hurry, and can result in beachy waves later!” Have short hair? Start by braiding the shortest pieces first (usually around your nape) and then build the braid towards your longest tresses for a ‘biker chick’ vibe. Think Mara Rooney from Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Get the look: Spray dry shampoo throughout strands (about 6 sprays a few inches away from the scalp) to prep hair. "This will give the style texture that will make waves lasts," says Luca Blandi. Using an inch and a half barrel curling iron, curl 2-inch wide sections around the head in a clockwise direction. Curl pieces sporadically both towards and away from your face; the less uniformed and more natural looking, the sexier. If hair is short, try to focus styling on only your mid-section. Forget your roots and ends for a messier, rock 'n' roll style.

Jennifer Davidson joined theFashionSpot team as Managing Editor in November 2010. In addition to overseeing the editorial content of the site, she shares her fashion, beauty, and pop culture obsessions in her weekly column The Love List. Prior to joining the tFS team, Jennifer produced fashion segments for television, and is also the co-founder of StyleBakery.com.